1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a write-once disc, and more particularly, to a method of and apparatus for recording data on a write-once disc to access information required to use the write-once disc more quickly, a method of and apparatus for reproducing a write-once disc, and a write-once disc used with the above methods and apparatuses.
2. Description of the Related Art
New information can be recorded repeatedly on a rewritable disc on which information has already been recorded. However, when new information is recorded on a write-once disc, since information that has already been recorded may not be erased or recorded over, a new location must be allocated in order to update the information already recorded.
Generally, only information which has been finally updated is meaningful. Therefore, to read the information which has been finally updated, an update area is allocated to a data area of the disc, and a data recording and/or reproducing apparatus detects the information which has been finally updated by searching for the update area in which updated information is recorded. When large amounts of information are recorded in the update area, it takes a lot of time to detect desired information.
On a write-once disc for which defect management by a data recording and/or reproducing apparatus is performed, there are areas to record information for managing defects generated while the write-once disc is being used and information indicating a recording status of the write-once disc. According to a characteristic of the write-once disc and, unlike a rewritable disc, since updated information cannot be repeatedly recorded at a location where existing information has been recorded when an update of the defect management information is required, the updated information must be recorded at an empty location. Accordingly, a relatively wide update area is necessary.
In general, the update area is allocated to a lead-in area or a lead-out area on the disc. However, sometimes, the update area may be allocated to a data area in order to increase the space available for an update count according to a user's designation. When finally updated information required to use the write-once disc is recorded in the update area allocated to the data area, and when information indicating that the update area is allocated to the data area and information indicating a location of the update area are included in the finally updated information, the finally updated information or a location in which the finally updated information is recorded cannot be detected, even if the entire update area allocated to the lead-in area or the lead-out area is sought.
Further, even if a data recording and/or reproducing apparatus detects that the finally updated information is recorded in the update area allocated to the data area, if the size of the update area is large, it may take a considerable amount of time to search the finally updated information recorded in the update area.